—prologue
“this is war.”

How long has it been since she last tasted the bittersweet after taste of sake? A little too long. Damn right, she deserves it. She sighed as lingered on the last bit of drops of the liquor. It has always been a dull day in the streets of Tatsumura—everyone had their own business, their own shops to run—she never complained though. She was grateful instead for the life she received upon stepping in the spritual world. She would have never thought that this place is the spiritual world... or what souls called Reikai.

She was lucky enough to be placed in a higher place in the streets of Reikai where she met a very kind woman that took her in. She never knew her name and her face because of her forgetful memory. That woman only showed up whenever she wants something in the house, never showering her with love nor with care. She was, at the very least, kind enough to give her the money she needed and the food she needed. The only thing she knows is that woman loved to knit and weave. Every christmas, she gets a very well-woven or well-knitted sweater hanging by her door. That was the only day she spends the day trying to give the woman the same kindness she showed. 

Those were the times that she wondered why the hell would she be drinking sake in the middle of the afternoon. It was a very known fact that possible guardians needed food to survive. Unlike those lowly souls who experiences no hunger. Those kind of souls are the ones who are normal. She supposed it was because when she was still living, a feat she finds quite curious because it was a very rare abnormality for souls who enters Reikai, she had the ability to see souls... and reapers. 

The term 'Reaper' is a very unlikely and forgotten term in this world. It was a word that Guardians despised, a heavy term that splashes a big black splotch on their name. Why? It was because souls thought that they were death, not people who guide souls ans protect Reikai. It was because long ago, while the old coot still ruled this Reikai, the term 'Reaper' is in a lighter level with them. Some thought it was badass, but some hated it. The old coot was a very demanding grandfather. Whatever he liked, he gets and whatever he hated, disappears. Those were the darker times everyone ought to forget. 

How long has it been since she stepped in this world? Right, a little over two hundred years is not something easy. Not something she was proud of either. Surely something productive would've happened, right? She had to laugh at that. Right. She sighed as the cold air hit her face. Tatsumura was great—awesome, even, but what was that thing wanting to get out of this dull place?

"Why are you drinking sake in the middle of the afternoon?" She shrugged and took a huge gulp of her last remaining bottle. "You know, you've got to talk to me sometime. I am your lieutenant." She forgot about that little detail. 

"Captain, you are needed for the Captain's meeting." She nodded. Captain's meeting was a pain. Like all things here, it's dull and boring. She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her hakama and sighed. "Captain, the hell's butterfly..." She rolled her eyes and took her sword from her desk. She had no intention of communicating with that wimp of a lieutenant. Well, she would if she grew a back bone. Oh, that would be certainly interesting. She took the walk nice and real slow, trying to savor the cool air of fall. 

It was also at that moment that the Captain's meeting was nearing to a start. All they had to do was wait for the missing captain. A captain with white hair and teal blue eyes sighed. They knew that the said captain would arrive ten minutes later than the usual time. So then why the hell does he bother to come here five minutes earlier? He usually didn't mind, but now... he does. That woman, no matter how talented she is, should learn to be punctual! They have been friends for a little over fifty years, he's damn sure she should have picked something up from him. Right now, he's doubting that thought. The door slammed open, making twelve pair of eyes flicker to the door.

"Sorry for being late," she paused, "I could care less, actually." She laughed in a carefree tone and sauntered over to her infamous spot. Her hands were in her hoari's sleeves, delving in deeper to graze her fingertips on the hidden knife in her arms, a habit she developed because of this damned meetings. A few of the captains sighed in exasperation while others fumed in silent anger, one including the head captain.

The head captain cleared his throat, "Thank you, all, for coming here. I appreciated the effort—" he glanced pointedly at her. "—of getting here. There were some concerns regarding the increase of the population of Wraiths. An army rivalling ours was spotted on the borders of Reikai, devouring citizens in the slum areas." Her eyes vaguely narrowed. They're not only getting bigger and more destructive... unless...

"Any chance or possibility that this might've been done from someone inside?" She spoke up, clearing any train of thoughts of the others. They were all taken aback by the amused glint in her eyes as she kept a calm smile. "If I was a Wraith, I would surely not think about that and just go around—"

"But, unfortunately, you're not, so how could you possibly know?" A captain with short violet tinted hair glared at her in rebuttal. Her smile slowly disappeared as she gazed at the small captain, eyes shining with a calculating gleam. "How could you possibly doubt any officials in this room—"

"Oh? It seems as if you know something, Captain," she smiled deviously, "I never said anything about someone inside this room. Perhaps you could enlighten us or is it too much for your pride to even consider the thought of shutting up. I highly abhor people who interrupt me in my speech. I am sure you are aware of that?" 

"Now, now, girls," a captain wearing a pink haori and a straw hat chuckled, "This room is getting hot. You might want to continue it outside." 

"Silence!"  The head captain roared. The small captain closed their teal blue eyes and sighed. Why do I have to get involve with old people fighting? He grumbled silently. The loud ringing of bells caught their attention and all movements ceased.

"Intruder alert! Intruder alert! Calling all guardians to their battle stations! An army of Wraiths has been sighted at area 27! I repeat, intruder alert! Intruder alert! Calling all guardians to their battle stations. An army of Wraiths has been sighted at area 27!" She raised her eyes to the ceiling and grinned. She removed her hands from her haori and walked out of the room.

"When did I give you permission to leave?" She gave them a long side glance.

"Since people started dying."
 

She hastened her pace and gripped her sword. How wonderful it was to get out of that room! She would thank the Wraiths for doing so. Her eyes dropped as she remembered. How long has it been? Three years after that incident. It wasn't long since she got positioned in her division either. She skidded to a stop, only to find a horrible sight. To think that there would be blood spill in heaven was certainly impossible, but now... that possibility is just rising. Bodies were spewed everywhere and there is no sightings of any Wraiths.

"Captain... what are you doing here?" Her gaze hardened as she faced her own lieutenant with a blank face. Her smile was just so sickly sweet while blood was dripping from her sword and splattered on her clothes and face. She just had to hate her. She remembered her voice from the intercom. She was the one who shouted the alert, the person who killed all of these guardians.

"I knew there was a reason why I don't talk to you," she sighed, "Well, whatever." Her lieutenant's sickly smile turned into a crazed grin as she held the sword in her hand tighter. Her nonchalance had annoyed her to death since she started working under that wench. She was lucky she was a captain or else she would've driven her sword in her heart by then. She laughs in insanity and leaps forward, catching her off guard. She held her arms out and blocked the blade with her hidden knives. Her lieutenant pushed her weight onto the sword and resisted. A simple burst could send her away, but her mission does not require killing any high ranking person. She jabbed her knee into her captain's stomach, causing her to leap back and hit a hut. She leaped back out and tried to regain her own composure. 

"You're really cute, lieutenant," she grinned, pulling her customized blade out of its sheath. "But you know, you should be careful with whom you're fighting with..." Her eyes met hers and for a second, her lieutenant was taken aback before her world turned black.

"... You're opponent might be just a tad bit crazier," Her left eye flickered back to its natural islamic green color as her grin faded into a serene smile. She sheathed back her sword and her heel.

"The Goddess... is lost... and so must all humanity and souls alike," she froze in her tracks. "... the black ones will rise again... and you reapers will be... no more."  She clenched her fists and turned around with wide eyes. Her body has faded already... an old trick used and seen at the darkest times. Is it true? 

"No one should find out about this," she gasped as a hand landed on her shoulder. She raised her blade, but stopped, seeing as it was only the old man. "This must be hidden from sight. Send a message to the special division. We are in need for a disposal team." His lieutenant nodded and disappeared in a flash, leaving the both of them alone.

"It's true then, the Goddess is lost..." The head captain could only nod his head. 

"This is only the beginning. The lost ones will return and war will break loose." Her eyes narrowed into slits.

"And you're not gonna do anything!?" She fumed. The head captain silenced her with a glare.

"The only thing we can do right now is wait! Any further actions will cause the war earlier than expected. I suggest you go back to your quarters now, captain. We shall talk about this first thing in the morning... Perhaps we might even find the answer in that bracelet." She gripped her wrist and cradled her carefully woven trinket. She furrowed her eyebrows in anger and sighed.

"Good night, Himura-taicho." She glanced at the hunched back of the head captain until he faded away. It's finally starting... history is finally repeating itself.